"I've caused you quite a bit of trouble today, Young Master Chu. It's getting late, so I won't disturb you any longer. I'll come back tomorrow morning to properly apologize."
Guan Xuxu decided she would definitely teach that little fox a lesson once she got back. Tomorrow, she would make sure the big boss saw a clean, white, and pristine Hu Piaoliang.
Chu Beihe looked at her serious little expression. His face remained largely unreadable, and he only gave a faint nod before instructing the butler standing nearby.
"See Miss Jiang home."
The butler bowed and politely led Guan Xuxu out. Although they were in the same residential area, he thoughtfully arranged for a security patrol car to escort her and her little fox all the way to the Jiang Family's entrance.
The butler who came out to meet her was dumbfounded at the sight of Guan Xuxu. He hadn't even realized the eldest young lady had gone out! And was that... a fox in her arms?
"Eldest Young Lady, this is..."
Having seen off the Chu Family guards, the butler looked at Guan Xuxu and the little creature in her arms, unsure which question to ask first. Noticing how thinly she was dressed, he quickly ushered her inside.
The moment she stepped through the door, she saw Jiang Huai standing by the staircase, clearly waiting for her. Up at the landing of the second floor, Jiang Su had his head poked out, looking like he was there to enjoy the spectacle.
As soon as Guan Xuxu entered, Jiang Su's eyes locked onto what she was holding. He immediately lowered his voice and pointed a finger at her.
"Wh-what is that thing in your arms? Furred pets aren't allowed in this house!"
Guan Xuxu glanced at the teenager who was constantly trying to make his presence known. She simply retorted with a straight face, "If furred things aren't allowed in, then what are you doing here?"
Jiang Su froze, his expression one of pure, unadulterated stupidity. Jiang Huai, standing beside them, couldn't help but let out a snicker. It took a moment for Jiang Su to process the insult, and once he did, his face flushed crimson. He was just about to lose his temper.
"You!..."
"It's so late. Grandfather and the others should be asleep by now," Guan Xuxu said airily. Her words instantly extinguished the volcanic rage Jiang Su was about to unleash.
He might have been reckless, but he always knew when he could get away with it and when he couldn't. Making noise after nightfall was strictly forbidden by the Jiang Family rules. Not to mention, their grandfather was old and went to bed early; a sudden awakening wouldn't be good for his health.
Even though Guan Xuxu had him boiling with frustration, Jiang Su had no choice but to swallow his anger. He turned around huffily and tiptoed back up the stairs.
Guan Xuxu watched him leave before turning back to Jiang Huai. Her confrontational attitude vanished instantly. She clutched the little fox closer and pursed her lips.
"This is my pet fox. It knew I had moved, so it came looking for me." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I've rented a place for it outside. It'll only stay here for tonight, and I'll take it away first thing tomorrow morning."
Her meaning was clear: she wouldn't cause any trouble for the household.
Listening to her words, Jiang Huai felt a sharp pang in his heart. The fox was clearly something she had raised before, yet she kept it outside. That meant the Guan Family must have forbidden her from having it. Now that she had finally returned to her own home, she hadn't even considered keeping it by her side.
Seeing her act so cautiously and tentatively made him feel an ache of sympathy, followed quickly by a surge of intense resentment toward the Guan Family. The eldest young lady of the Jiang Family, his own biological sister...
she should have been pampered since childhood, getting whatever her heart desired. Yet the Guan Family had ground her down so much that she didn't even dare mention keeping a pet at home!
"This is your home. In your own home, you can raise whatever you like."
Pushing down his emotions regarding the Guan Family, Jiang Huai stepped forward. His handsome face was graced with a refined smile, and his voice was gentle yet firm.
Guan Xuxu was visibly stunned. "But Jiang Su said furred things aren't allowed..."
"Like you said, if even he's allowed in, why wouldn't your fox be?" Jiang Huai raised an eyebrow and smiled, throwing back the same logic she had used against Jiang Su. He reached out and lightly tapped the little fox on the head with an elegant, affectionate gesture.
Seeing Guan Xuxu still staring at him in a daze, Jiang Huai just gave her a soft smile. His peach blossom eyes were filled with warmth and conviction. "Don't worry. Big Brother is here."
With those words, it felt as though a warm current had brushed past Guan Xuxu's heart. That familiar, subtle sense of belonging surged within her once more. Guan Xuxu opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to say thank you. Then she vaguely remembered him saying: Between siblings, there's no need for thanks.
So, she swallowed the words and simply gave him a small, obedient nod. "Okay."
As she carried the little fox upstairs and closed her door, Guan Xuxu suddenly realized that a faint smile had found its way onto her lips. She looked down and saw the little fox in her arms staring straight at her, its eyes wide with curiosity.
Guan Xuxu immediately wiped the smile from her face and adopted a stern expression. "Didn't we agree that you would stay put and not run around? Do you have any idea how close you came to being zapped into a charred fox tonight?"
The little fox seemed to understand her. It jumped to the floor and spun around innocently before gesturing toward the small backpack it was wearing. Its little expression seemed to say: You moved, so I followed. What's wrong with that?
Guan Xuxu gave a light snort and crouched down to unstrap the tiny pack. When she saw what was inside, she smiled again. Aside from a can of food for Hu Piaoliang, the rest was filled with her cinnabar, yellow talisman paper, and some of her specialized tools.
She had been in the hospital for three days after the car accident. Though she had arranged for someone to look after the fox, it had clearly been worried she would run out of "stock."
Guan Xuxu gave the little fox a reward pat on its furry head before putting her things away. Ever since she started learning mystical arts from her Master, she had rented a small place of her own. She did this not only to hide her studies from the Guan Family but also to have a place for her belongings.
That was why she hadn't taken a single piece of luggage when Bai Shuqin kicked her out. The things that actually mattered weren't at the Guan Family house to begin with. She had planned to go back and check on the little fox once she settled in, but she hadn't expected it to come racing after her on its own.
Granted, it had tracked her to the wrong place at first.
Even though it was quite late, Guan Xuxu still took the fox into her en-suite bathroom and gave it a thorough cleaning. Only then did she climb into bed with it and drift off to sleep again.
Perhaps because she had been up so late, Guan Xuxu woke up late the next day. Looking at the dreamlike, princess-themed bedroom, she felt a bit disoriented. It took a long moment before she realized where she was. This was her new room.
Just as she was trying to get used to the soft pink aesthetics of the room, a sharp scream from downstairs reached her ears.
"Ah! A fox!!... Butler, come quick!"
Then came another shout. "Where did this wild fox come from?!... Hurry! Catch it!"
Guan Xuxu was wide awake in an instant. She bolted upright and scanned the room, but it was already empty. Hearing the rising tide of shouts from below, her expression shifted.
"Hu Piaoliang!!!"
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/kleinmoretti to access 100+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).